1. Field of the Invention
The invention relates to a divided connector and to a method of disengaging or disassembling an auxiliary connector housing therefrom.
2. Description of the Related Art
Japanese Unexamined Patent Publication No. 2000-331738 and FIG. 16 herein show a divided connector. With reference to FIG. 16, the divided connector has a housing main body 1 and an auxiliary connector housing 2 is accommodated in an accommodating portion 3 of the housing main body 1. Two resiliently deformable locking pieces 4 are cantilevered from the inner sidewalls of the accommodating portion 3. Locking surfaces 4A are formed at the leading ends of the locking pieces 4 and locking projections 5 are provided on side surfaces of the auxiliary connector housing 2. The auxiliary connector housing 2 is inserted into the accommodating portion 3 from behind (from above in FIG. 16) and causes the locking pieces 4 to deform outward. The locking pieces 4 return resiliently towards an undeflected position when the auxiliary connector housing 2 reaches a proper position. As a result, the locking surfaces 4A at the leading ends of the locking pieces 4 engage the rear surfaces of locking projections 5 to lock the auxiliary connector housing 2 in the accommodating portion 3. A disengaging projection 4B is formed at the leading end of each locking piece 4 and is located at an outer side of the locking surface 4A. Additionally, the disengaging projection 4B projects forward beyond the leading end of the locking projection 5. A jig can be inserted from the front to press the disengaging projection 4B outward when the mounted auxiliary connector housing 2 needs to be detached for maintenance. As a result, the locking piece 4 disengages from the locking projection 5.
The locking pieces 4 are deformed outward during the insertion of the auxiliary connector housing 2. Thus, the housing main body 1 has deformation spaces S for permitting the deformation of the locking pieces 4. The disengaging projections 4B of the locking pieces 4 must have a sufficient length to project more forward than the front ends of the locking projections 5. Therefore, the length of the locking pieces 4 is longer by the length of the locking projections 5, and the deformation spaces S for the locking pieces 4 must be correspondingly larger. This hinders the miniaturization of the housing main body 1 and the miniaturization of the entire connector.
The invention was developed in view of the above problem and an object thereof is to provide a divided connector that can be miniaturized while enabling locking pieces to be disengaged by a jig.